King Alfred the Great Statue — Attraction in Winchester

It's a nice enough statue, it does have a car park in front of it unfortunately, though it's close to lots of nice places in Winchester. It does however misrepresent King Alfred the Great, he was definitely a brains over brawn leader! Not the sword wielding hero portrayed, as a self confessed geek myself we need more representation 🤓😂.

The statue of him at Wantage, Oxfordshire has him holding a scroll (and an axe) which I think is more fitting. Alfred was a man of learning who understood the underpinnings of nation building were as much about recording collective stories as they were about fighting great battles. He wasn't great with cakes though I seem to recall!

Anyway, if you visit, there is a nice park just beside it, and it's worth wondering up the high street to see the 13th century great hall.. it has a fake (albeit an old fake) round table of Arthurian legend, a great example of Alfred's style of national storytelling in action if ever...

It's always great to visit Winchester! Saturday Market has the town centre abuzz!! Buskers delight. Smells from the food stalls entice. Colours from the vast array of items for sale dance before me...drawing me in. I fo for the vibrant, fresh veg and fruit...well worth the effort. Always lots of parking options. Car free town centre....and the Cathedral right there...it's history and beauty setting the tone....the river running through...carefully planned river walk...the old flint stone city walls, places to sit, many pubs and many in ancient picturesque buildings... And to top it off...I love seeing people from all over the world. The locals are smiling a welcome. The University ever present in well behaved youth...I had a young man peddle fast past me...I got a surprise and stepped off the path...and he stopped. Came back...

Alfred The Great Statue, Winchester The most prominent statue of Winchester is the symbolic monument dedicated to the city’s hero and champion; Alfred the Great. The statue of Alfred stands in the centre of the broadway looking the length of the high street towards his ancient castle and seat of power.

The Alfred the Great Statue was commissioned to mark the millennium of Alfred’s death but the delivery and assembly was a bungled and botched affair, which Winchester would sooner forget about. Alfred the Great’s reign is steeped in mystery as few accurate records exist due to the Norman’s systematic destruction of Anglo Saxon history but one fact is certain; the date of Alfred’s death on the 26th...